Does eating fat make you fat?

On Ep. 185, Nikkiey calls this a long-standing myth dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, when dietary fat was blamed for rising obesity rates. She still sees women in the WarriorBabe program afraid to eat fat because of it. Her point is that fats are not all the same. There are saturated, unsaturated and trans fats, and their effects vary. Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil can support weight loss and heart health, while trans fats in processed and fast foods raise the risk of heart disease and should be avoided. Even fat in your morning coffee is fine, she says, as long as you enjoy it and it counts toward your fat for the day.

On Ep. 172, she connects fat to hormones. Your body can't produce hormones effectively without enough healthy fats, she says, and falling short can show up in everything from mood to metabolism to muscle growth. People assume they need to eat less fat to lose fat, and Nikkiey says that isn't true. What adds body fat is too many calories, or too few, which she says can push your body to hold on to fat. The answer is the right balance of protein, fats and carbs for your goals.

On Ep. 227, she flags the low-fat trap. Many low-fat products make up for lost flavor with sugar, artificial flavors and additives. She suggests checking the label: look at the sugars, and if the ingredient list is long or full of words you can't pronounce, it's probably not a good choice. She says that extra sugar can spike insulin and lead to more fat storage over time. Her better option is whole-fat foods and healthy fats in moderation.

If you've spent years eating low-fat and still feel stuck, that's not a willpower problem. It's the plan. As Nikkiey puts it, fat is your friend, not your enemy.